1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club head for welding. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf club head that allows easy examination of the position of the striking plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional tungsten inert gas arc welding (so-called xe2x80x9cTIGxe2x80x9d) for welding a striking plate to a golf club head has gradually been replaced by high energy welding such as laser beam welding (LBW) and plasma arc welding (PAW). The structure of the golf club head is modified in response to the change of the welding method.
FIG. 1 of the drawings is a sectional view of a conventional golf club head body and a striking plate suitable for high energy welding. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a circled portion in FIG. 1. Designs of the golf club head body 10 and the striking plate 20 are based on the characteristics of concentration and penetration of thermal energy for carrying out welding. Generally, the golf club head body 10 includes an opening 11 in a front side thereof and a flange 12 formed on the front side and extending along an outer peripheral edge defining the opening 11. A gap less than 1 mm is left between the golf club head body 10 and the striking plate 20 when the striking plate 20 is mounted into the opening 11 of the golf club head body 10. With such a structure, high energy welding is carried out, which melts the flange 12 to provide connecting material 13 that connects the striking plate 20 to the golf club head body 10. Although the structures of the golf club head body 10 and the striking plate 20 are suitable for high energy welding due to the advantages of small welding width, greater welding depth, and better welding quality, the striking plate 20 is apt to deviate from a general plane on which the opening 12 lies before the first welding procedure (i.e., point welding) and the subsequent high energy welding. This is because the gap (i.e., tolerance) between the golf club head body 10 and the striking plate 20 is so small that the striking plate 20 is apt to incline inward or outward or shift relative to the golf club head body 10. As a result, the resultant golf club head would be a disqualified one if the deviation of the striking plate 20 is not corrected before the welding procedure.
An object of the present invention to provide a golf club head that includes a plurality of engaging notches, and a plurality of supporting rods are provided on the striking plate. When the striking plate is inserted into the opening of the golf club head, the supporting rods on the striking plate are inserted into the engaging notches. Thus, the striking plate is precisely positioned after the first welding procedure and before the high energy welding. The assembly convenience is improved, and the welding procedure is simplified.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of examining notches on the flange to allow a worker to examine the position of the striking plate in the opening of the golf club head after the first welding procedure and before the high energy welding.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an inclined face on an outer side of the flange such that the flange that is molten during the high energy welding flows into a gap between the striking plate and the golf club head body, thereby improving the welding quality and the welding strength.
A golf club head in accordance with the present invention includes a golf club head body and a striking plate. The golf club head body has an opening on a front side thereof, with a flange being formed on the front side and extending along an outer peripheral edge defining the opening. A plurality of engaging notches are defined in the flange. The striking plate has a plurality of supporting rods. Each supporting rod is engaged in an associated one of the engaging notches when the striking plate is inserted into the opening of the golf club head body to thereby support the striking plate and to thereby position the striking plate in the opening of the golf club head body before high energy welding.
Other objects, specific advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferable embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.